Tractor Ammonite (Small Ammonite)
Age: 250 Million Years Old
Discovered: Madagascar
Measures Roughly 1' Each
- Each piece will differ in size, shape, color, characteristics, and other aspects.
Tractor ammonites, also known as planispiral ammonites, are a type of extinct marine cephalopod that lived during the Mesozoic era, between 240 and 65 million years ago. They are characterized by their distinctive, flat, coiled shells, which resemble the wheels of a tractor. The shells of tractor ammonites are usually highly ornamented, with intricate patterns of ridges and sutures that form complex, interlocking chambers.
One of the most notable features of tractor ammonites is their ability to regulate the gas content of their shells. By filling the chambers of their shells with gas or fluid, they were able to control their buoyancy and move up or down in the water column. This allowed them to avoid predators, search for food, and navigate their environment more effectively.
Tractor ammonites were highly diverse and abundant during the Mesozoic era, with hundreds of species known from fossil records. They lived in a wide range of marine environments, from shallow coastal waters to deep-sea trenches, and played an important role in the ecosystem as both predators and prey. Despite their impressive diversity and adaptability, all species of tractor ammonites became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period, around 65 million years ago, along with the dinosaurs and many other forms of life. Their fossils remain as a testament to their remarkable evolutionary history and the ancient oceans they once inhabited.
